From the spring of 1898 until early the following year, most battles in the Philippine Islands were sporadic ambushes of small American patrols in the jungles, as the U.S. Army sought to root out the rebel forces of Emilio Aguinaldo. An American force was besieged at Vigan, Luzon, Philippine Islands, on December 4, 1899. That night in a one-man heroic effort, Lieutenant Colonel Webb Cook Hayes pushed from the beach through the enemy lines to reach the American forces, and returned the following morning to report the situation to Naval forces standing by to render assistance.

Lieutenant Colonel Hayes was one of four soldiers who earned the Medal of Honor at Vigan in this actions. The other men cited for heroism were: Lieutenant Colonel James Parker, Private Joseph Epps, and Private James McConnell.

The son of President Hayes, Webb Cook Hayes is one of only two "sons of a President" to receive the Medal of Honor. Mr. Hayes entered politics himself and served as a member of the Ohio state legislature.

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